Malaysian factories accused of ‘forced labour’ make rubber gloves for Britain’s health service
- Workers from Nepal and Bangladesh subjected to forced labour, debt bondage, withheld wages and passport confiscation, UK media reports claim
- Top Glove and WRP denied conditions in their factories were a violation of workers’ rights
Britain is launching an investigation into medical gloves used by its health service after reports of forced labour, forced overtime, debt bondage, withheld wages and passport confiscation in Malaysian factories where they were made.
“In line with the government’s policy and leadership on modern slavery, we take any allegations of this kind incredibly seriously,” said a spokeswoman for Britain’s health department, adding that the issue would investigated “as a matter of urgency”.
A Guardian investigation revealed at least two companies supplying rubber gloves to the NHS – Top Glove and WRP – are allegedly subjecting thousands of migrant workers from Nepal and Bangladesh to exploitative working conditions.
Top Glove – the largest rubber glove manufacturer in the world and one of the biggest employers in Malaysia, with 40 factories – and fellow manufacturer WRP both produce gloves for multiple brands supplying NHS Supply Chain, the organisation which has a 40 per cent market share of medical goods bought by NHS hospitals and clinics in the UK.
Our human/labour rights and health initiatives exceed those of the glove industry average
Top Glove workers – eight from Nepal and eight from Bangladesh – claimed their factory was “mental torture” where they had to work seven days a week, at least 12 hours a day, with only one day off a month. Their shirts were each branded with the Top Glove logo: “Be honest and no cheating.”